


Anywhere in Albion

by flamingosarepink



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, I dont even know what this is to be fair, M/M, Post Valencia induced angst, Song fic, Unbeta'd, my first Carraville oh boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 05:40:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11396451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamingosarepink/pseuds/flamingosarepink
Summary: Despite being bitter rivals for years as players, Jamie had never known United loving, Scouse hating Gary Neville to back down from a challenge.





	Anywhere in Albion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blindbatalex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindbatalex/gifts), [SixPonderous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SixPonderous/gifts), [guti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guti/gifts).



> Title taken from the song Albion by Babyshambles. Fic is gifted to three certain individuals who were supportive of me writing this, after I had told them I was writing it. I hope you all like it!

Somewhere between the time that Jamie tried to fall asleep and now, it has started storming outside. The soft rumbles of thunder out in the distance do little to soothe his mind- laden with thoughts of a far away lover. When he had heard Gary was leaving, he’d be lying if it didn’t come as somewhat of a shock. Taking a managerial job at a struggling club? _Risky at best, a challenge on a good day_ is what he had heard someone say in passing on his way to the studio the morning after Gary had left. Despite being bitter rivals for years as players, Jamie had never known United loving, Scouse hating Gary Neville to back down from a challenge. Gary loved challenges, but the bravado he’d felt when taking the job at Valencia had failed him miserably. 

So the insomnia that had often reared its ugly head during his playing days had returned after having eased once he’d started sleeping with Gary, and the funny thing about it was that they had fallen into the pattern so easily. It had started simply enough- with an invitation to Gary’s flat after work one evening that ended up snowballing into making out once it was clear they were both done organizing material for the next show. How it happened exactly Jamie still didn’t exactly know, maybe somewhere between the playful banter and Jamie noticing the way Gary’s mouth quirked up when he laughed, or maybe the way he got serious before speaking out a rebuttal to some opinion he voiced about tactics while on air. 

Maybe he was being the slightest bit naive when he assumed that Gary would ever leave or move on for better opportunities, especially given the few conversations had about how the other man desired a career in management after having worked with the national team. Gary had said it was something of a stepping stone more than a few months previously during a conversation as they were getting ready to go on air and naturally Jamie couldn’t resist making a joke about how not everyone has higher aspirations. As always, Gary had laughed before making a joke back about wanting to manage England properly one day. _That is DEFINITELY no joke_ , Jamie had thought. The thought of Gary managing England was a far-flung thought, a dream no less, but the thought alone seems grand and exciting. 

What wakes up Jamie from his light sleep is the sound of the doorbell ringing. By this point, the rain can be heard quite easily being battered against the window by the wind that accompanies it. The thunder is rumbling a lot more than just softly off in the distance. A brief flash of light illuminates the room, but then its gone and everything is dark yet again. The time of night makes it way too late for anyone to just simply be popping over for a visit. It’s not like Jamie assumes the worst, that he’s about to get bad news. He slides out of bed only dressed in a pair of sweatpants, finding his way in the darkness down the stairs and to the hallway and then to the door. 

Tomorrow is a day off thankfully and he plans on spending it trying to catch up on sleep that never comes easily. Jamie can barely see his way in the dark, but given the intermittent flashes of light from the thunder outside he can make out the outline of the front door once he’s made it off the last step of the stairs.

His fingers wrap around the doorknob. Jamie is too tired to give this person an earful, and when he opens the door he settles on mumbling out _What’s going on?_ although it comes out more slurred than he means it to. Once he blinks and tired eyes focus on the face of the person standing on his doorstep -soaked from the storm raging outside- Jamie is feeling something akin to having seen a ghost. When you haven’t seen a person in what feels like ages, you become resigned to the fact you might never see them again. 

Brown hair is sticking to Gary’s forehead and not to mention the fact he looks just as exhausted as Jamie feels despite the expression on his face that one can see without any real effort is frustration mixed with disappointment and relief to back in a familiar environment from the trouble that brought him away from comfort in the first place. Jamie lets him in without a second thought. Neither of them are really thinking about the whys and hows of Gary coming back home. Jamie knows, having heard almost every detail for months on end, knowing the end was coming and anticipating it like a jump scare in some cheesy horror movie. None of that seems even important now, and it might as well be in the past despite both of them knowing that people will talk for while about how much a failure of a manager Gary ended up being while others will talk about how it was gutsy it was for him to take this job in the first place. 

Gary has always been a bit of an emotional person at times, no matter what the emotion is. Maybe that is what ends up prompting him to throw his arms around Jamie’s neck before there is a clash of lips. The emotion of it hits Jamie like a freight train before he’s kissing back, holding Gary close to him and never wanting to let him go. 

\- - - - - - 

The clock is blinking 10:30 am rapidly by the time that Jamie wakes up. Late morning sun filters in through the blinds, bathing the room in soft yet somehow bright light. Almost instinctually he sits up, sliding his legs over his side of the bed. His stomach growls and he’s mentally already plotting out his morning. Tea, then breakfast. Jamie doesn’t even initially see the body laying next to him just purely out of habit. Sleeping alone, he supposes, put him into a set routine; wake up, make breakfast, get ready, head to work, come home. Repeat. 

Boring, predictable. No moments of brief distraction because Gary doesn’t want to get out of bed initially which leads to him sleepily reaching out with lithe fingers for Jamie’s wrist, sleepily mumbling _Can’t we just stay in bed a little while longer?_ into his pillow with his eyes still shut which leads to Jamie looking over his shoulder with that almost signature bright smile that’s laced with sleep given he hasn’t had tea yet. He chuckles softly and makes a noise, like the idea of what Gary says is just THAT absurd. _No_ , he had said while the smile and soft tone betray the fact he’s trying to be moderately serious as he swings his legs over the side of the bed and stands, turning to face the other man, still in bed with the covers barely covering his shoulder. _It’s the first show of the season and i’ll not have you make us late just for a few extra minutes in bed._

That would be the moment were Gary would open his eyes, blinking twice almost bleary eyed before sitting up on his elbows and tipping up his chin slightly. _You won’t, will you?_ Despite his voice being choked with sleep, somehow Gary manages to make the idea sound tempting. Jamie heaves out a sigh, leaning over to give Gary a quick kiss. _No I won’t._ Gary’s lips quirk up slightly as their lips touch. 

Jamie remembers the memory fondly. 

It’s probably why almost instinctially, he barely looks over his shoulder to see the other side of the bed where Gary should be sleeping empty, hoping that somehow recounting a past incident could just will him to be there. 

Maybe Jamie shouldn’t be as surprised as he is when his peripheral vision barely catches sight of a shape of a person with a familiar mop of brown hair mixed with grey here and there, if you really had to pay attention- still damp from being out in a night’s rain.


End file.
